Four Wheel Camper Flatbed Conversion

[teleturns]

Quick Update

Got the camper into the garage. The wind has been horrible here in New Mexico.



Cleaning up the frame



Removed the original corner post




New post installed




Installing the corner piece wasn't to bad. Hope to get the other three done soon.

[teleturns]

Memorial Day Update

I got the frame of the floor underneath the camper frame.




I also welded up the front wall. I am eliminating the window that butts up to the cab, because we never use it. Plus I have a headache rack on my truck with horizontal bars across the rear window of the truck.



Tomorrow I am on the search for some aluminum to make slugs for the rear corner posts.

[Overland Hadley]

Looking good!

[Jeff Wanamog]

Looks great!
What are you going to use for siding?
Thanks.
Jeff

[teleturns]

Looks great!
What are you going to use for siding?
Thanks.
Jeff

Jeff

That is one thing I have not figured out yet. I ordered a sample of Dibond which is a composite aluminum panel and I am really impressed. I am having a hard time swallowing the $160 per 4x8 sheet price. 3A composites makes what they call an "e-panel" which is a cheaper version of their Dibond panels. In town I found the "e-panels" for $90 per sheet.

Dibond was used for the siding on this F-700 Camper build.

Scheefdog used aluminum sheet metal for his FWC rebuild, so I also have that as an option.

There is also an aluminum siding manufacturer here in Albuquerque and I heard they do make siding for RV applications. So I am going to stop by over there this week and see what they have.

Does anyone know where I can get fiberglass panels like the ones used on the newer FWC and Phoenix campers?

Does anyone have any recommendations for siding?

Thanks

[wannaby]

Hi just wondering if you would mind posting a few close up picks of how the top is constructed I would like to try and build something simmiler from scratch.Den

[teleturns]

Hi just wondering if you would mind posting a few close up picks of how the top is constructed I would like to try and build something simmiler from scratch.Den

Can you be more specific when you say "top"? Do you want pictures of the roof? The canvas? I will be glad to take pictures for you once I know exactly what you want.

[pods8]

Does anyone know where I can get fiberglass panels like the ones used on the newer FWC and Phoenix campers?

I don't know where they get their stuff but the local home depot / lowes usually carry 4'x8' FRP panels in the bathroom section. Usually its the dimpled finish but most manufacturers also do a smooth finished (and different thicknesses) that could potentially be ordered in. I'll let you check it out and decide if you think the material is suitable based on the amount of support framework you have, etc. I believe it runs $30-40 / sheet.

[teleturns]

I don't know where they get their stuff but the local home depot / lowes usually carry 4'x8' FRP panels in the bathroom section. Usually its the dimpled finish but most manufacturers also do a smooth finished (and different thicknesses) that could potentially be ordered in. I'll let you check it out and decide if you think the material is suitable based on the amount of support framework you have, etc. I believe it runs $30-40 / sheet.

pods8

You always pull through with great suggestions. Do you have any experience with Dibond? If so, what do you think?

Thanks

[homemade]

This is the place I bought sheet aluminum for the roof of my camper http://interstatemetals.com/cat_fiberglass.html. They were expensive but the only place local that I could find what I was looking for at the time.

I used FRP but I didn’t like the look of the Home Depot/Lowes product so I bought sheets from a sign supply business. It is flat, not pebbled, dull on one side and shiny on the other and you can see fibers under the surface of the shiny side - looks like regular fiberglass camper siding that I have seen on other campers. Several yrs ago it was about $60 a 4x8 sheet and was also available in 4x10 sheets or larger. When I called the business for prices the salesman would give me outrageously higher prices but when I came in to buy it and just talked to the counter people the price came down. They were definitely geared for wholesale business rather than retail but sold it willingly enough when I came in cash in hand. Probably other cities have similar sign supply businesses